You Have the Right to Remain Silent
by OneDayFamous
Summary: Another Yule Ball. Krum's a jerk to Hermione but then Ron makes her feel better. Songfic.


A/N: Ok, I've been deleting lots of stuff from this story but I figured if I deleted everything I didn't like, there'd be nothing left pretty soon so I'll just go ahead and post it now because I'm too impatient to try and think of better wording and all that.  
  
Of course the characters etc. belong to J. K. Rowling, and the song is Perfect Stranger's You Have the Right to Remain Silent. I just kinda threw the song in wherever so hopefully it works. But yeah, it's one of my favorite songs! It's just soooo romantic! *sigh* :) Anyway, on with the story…  
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Hermione smiled at her reflection in the mirror. It was her 5th year at Hogwarts, and she was looking forward to tonight more than almost any other night of her life. Tonight was the Yule Ball, and like last year, she would be going with Viktor Krum. This year she knew him much better, and she was really looking forward to their night together. He was making a trip to Hogwarts, just to go to the ball with her. For one of the first times ever, she felt truly special.  
  
"You are so lucky, Hermione!" squealed Lavender as she and Parvati helped each other get ready. "Going to the Yule Ball again with Viktor! He's so famous! And so old…" She and Parvati giggled.  
  
Hermione blushed. "I can't believe he's coming tonight! Just for me…" She smiled.  
  
"Ooooo, Hermione's in looove!" Lavender teased. Hermione just smiled and blushed more. "Well, you look gorgeous tonight, he won't be able to take his eyes off you!"  
  
Hermione looked up hopefully. "Really?"  
  
"Yes Hermione! Really!"  
  
"Oh.. thanks…" She smiled shyly. "Well, I'm going down to the common room now…"  
  
"Ok, bye! And don't do anything we wouldn't do!" Hermione left her roommates giggling to themselves and descended the stairs.  
  
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Hermione spotted Ron and Harry talking and went over to join them. They both looked up. Harry smiled and told her she looked nice. Ron, however, just stared.   
  
"Ron?"  
  
"Uh… what?" He snapped out of his stare.  
  
"Are you ok?"  
  
"Oh, yeah.. Yeah, I'm fine."  
  
"Ok… Are you two ready to go down to the Great Hall now?"  
  
"I'm just waiting for Ginny," Harry replied. Ron made a strange face. He still wasn't used to the fact that his best friend was going to the ball with his little sister. Ron himself was going alone. After being stuck with Padma last year, he'd decided it was much better to just go alone. Much easier than going with a girl and trying not to hurt her feelings or get into trouble with her. It just wasn't worth the effort, not for any girl. Well… for one girl, but only one. And anyway, he would never be going to a ball with her, for several reasons. First, she was already going with a famous Quidditch player. Second, although they were friends, they always fought with each other. And third, she was Hermione, the most perfect girl in the world. There was no way she would want to go to a ball with him. She could easily do much better. So Ron had just accepted the fact that he'd never be going to a ball with a girl, because Hermione wouldn't go with him, and if it wasn't Hermione, it just wasn't worth it.  
  
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After Ginny came down to meet the three of them, they left for the Great Hall. "Viktor said he'd meet me here," Hermione said, stopping by the entrance. The other three waited with her and they all chatted. As the minutes went by, Hermione began looking more and more nervous. Whenever anyone walked past, she looked up hopefully but her face fell each time it turned out to be someone other than Viktor. Ron noticed this and secretly wanted to make Viktor suffer (even more so than usual).  
  
The ball had apparently started, because the group began to hear music coming from the Hall. Hermione told them they might as well go in. "You don't need to wait with me. He should be here soon." Harry and Ginny agreed and entered, but Ron offered to wait with her some more. He probably wouldn't be dancing anyway, he said. Hermione looked up at him and smiled sadly. "Thanks." The two of them waited another minute. "Ron?" He turned his head to look at her. "Do you think Viktor's coming tonight?"  
  
"He told you he was, right?"  
  
"Yes.. Just.. I don't know." She looked down at the floor and sighed.  
  
There was an awkward silence as Ron searched for a way to change the subject and get her mind off of Viktor and how late he was. "Did you finish that Potions essay yet?" he finally blurted out.  
  
"What?" Hermione asked, clearly confused by the change in topic. "Oh, yes, I finished it last week." Ron smiled. "I don't suppose yours is done yet?"  
  
"Um.."  
  
"Wait, have you even started it yet?" He avoided her eyes. "Ronald Weasley!"  
  
"I was just about to start it!"  
  
"You DO realize it's due in one week from now? Honestly!"  
  
Ron tried to hide his smile but wasn't very successful. Hermione shook her head but smiled a little too. Suddenly her eyes focused on something in the distance. "Is that an owl?" She waited until it flew closer, then her eyes widened. "That's Viktor's owl. Maybe something's wrong and that's why he's not here yet. Ron, what if he's hurt?" Ron chose wisely not to reply to this, as he figured his answer would not be appreciated greatly. The owl dropped a letter by Hermione's feet – she bent to pick it up, a worried expression on her face. But as she read, her look of worry turned to one of hurt. She finished the letter, folded it neatly, and slowly tucked it into her robes. A single tear rolled down her cheek. She tried to hide it, but Ron saw and came to her, his face full of concern.  
  
"Hermione…? What is it?"  
  
The tenderness in his voice made Hermione break down. Sobbing, she hid her face in her hands, refusing to answer him. It tore him apart to see her like this, so he put his arms around her and hugged, hard. She stiffened for a second, but then slowly put her arms around him and hugged back, crying onto his shoulder. Neither of them spoke as they held each other tightly.  
  
The dance was still going strong in the Great Hall, and music continued to drift out to them. "I love this song," Hermione mumbled after a few seconds of one song.  
  
Ron stepped back and looked at her. "Dance with me?" he asked nervously. She nodded and they stepped together again.  
  
~ Can I have this dance my you're looking pretty  
~ Is there something wrong did he leave you hurting  
~ I don't mean to pry but that tear in your eye gave you away  
~ If you don't want to talk we'll keep it quiet  
~ But sometimes a heartache hurts worse if you hide it  
~ I think there's a chance one slow dance might ease the pain  
  
Ron had not asked about the letter, but Hermione knew he wanted to know what it said. She decided she could tell him, he wouldn't laugh at her. How could someone so kind laugh at her? "The letter I got from Viktor.. He.. He said he had 'much better things to do' than to go to the dance with me tonight." She paused. "I thought he liked me. Why did he do this to me? How could I be so stupid?" She closed her eyes, unable to bear the pain.  
  
~ You have the right to remain silent  
~ Anything that you say as I hold you against me  
~ Will forever be a secret between us two  
~ I've been wanting you but you didn't know it  
~ And now that he's gone at last I can show it  
~ If your heart is tired for the rest of your life  
~ Lay your love on me  
  
Ron stopped dancing to hug her again. "Anyone who wouldn't go to a dance with you is crazy, not worth it," he said, mostly to himself, but Hermione heard him and looked at him questioningly. His ears turned red, and he laughed nervously.  
  
~ So many times my eyes have held you  
~ Tonight please give my arms that chance  
~ If you don't feel the need for conversation  
~ We'll just let our hearts talk while we dance  
  
Hermione hugged him back. "You're missing the ball."  
  
"No I'm not." He pulled back just enough to look her in the eye. "I'm right where I want to be. I wouldn't trade this for anything," he whispered.  
  
~ You have the right to remain silent  
~ Anything that you say as I hold you against me  
~ Will forever be a secret between us two  
~ I've been wanting you but you didn't know it  
~ And now that he's gone at last I can show it  
~ If your heart is tired for the rest of your life  
~ Lay your love on me  
~ If your heart is tired for the rest of your life  
~ Lay your love on me  
  
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A/N: I think the ending's kind of.. abrupt, or something (and cheesy but nothing's wrong with cheesiness! (how do you spell that??)). I was planning on writing another chapter or two. Should I bother? Please let me know what you thought of this & if I should continue. Thanks!! Have an awesome day! :) 


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